Luke Murray adds two more to new staff
Insert the Major League gif where Roger Brown says ‘it’s startin to come together Pepper, startin to come together.’
Earlier this week, Luke Murray made his first staff hiring when he brought former Syracuse assistant Brenden Straughn in. Now, we know two more names that will also be sitting on the bench when Murray begins his quest to get BC back to the tournament this fall.
Former Florida Gulf Coast coach Kyle Griffin and Pittsburgh coach Tim O’Toole are Murray’s next additions.
Griffin
Griffin just finished his fourth season overall with FGCU, but this was his third season as associate head coach. Griffin became associate head coach for the Eagles in 2023-’24. Prior to FGCU, Griffin served four years at La Salle – including two years as associate head coach for the Explorers. In addition to his stint at La Salle, Griffin was on the staffs at Lehigh (2013-16) and Robert Morris (2016-18). He started as an assistant coach with the Explorers in 2018-19 before he was elevated to associate head coach in 2020-21.
In the summer of 2024, Griffin was selected to participate in the 2024 TopConnect Basketball Symposium in Las Vegas. The program identifies the top assistant basketball coaches in the country and connects them with mid-major Athletic Directors.
O’Toole
Tim O’Toole just finished his ninth season at Pitt as associate head coach. With 34 years of Division I experience – including eight years as a head coach – he’s been a part of 11 teams to make postseason play.
Prior to coming to Pitt, O’Toole spent two seasons as associate head coach at Cal in 2017 and 2018. In his first season in Berkeley, O’Toole helpd guide Cal to the Pac-12’s best field goal defense and top scoring defense.
From 2013-2016, O’Toole served as an assistant coach at Stanford, helping the Cardinal make a 2014 Sweet 16 run. Stanford also won the 2015 NIT Championship.
O’Toole also spent six years as an ESPN, SNY and IMG analyst and color commentator, O’Toole re-entered the coaching profession with a second term at Syracuse for the 2012-13 season, helping the Orange to the 2013 Final Four.
O’Toole first began coaching st ‘Cuse from 1991-1995 as an assistant coach. O’Toole also has head coaching experience, spending eight seasons (1998-2006) at the helm of his alma mater, Fairfield. He led the Stags to three consecutive winning seasons for the first time since 1978, earned an NIT berth in 2003 and guided numerous players to post graduate play. O’Toole was honored as the 2003-04 MAAC Coach of the Year. Prior to taking over as head coach at Fairfield, O’Toole spent the 1997-98 season as an assistant coach under Tommy Amaker at Seton Hall.
Needless to say, the first few additions to Murray’s staff have plenty of experience and a proven track record of success at schools with all different types of limitations or expectations.
